★ Hincks, Edward Winslow

Edward Winslow Hincks​

Born: May 30, 1830

Birthplace: Bucksport, Maine

Father: Elisha Trent Hincks 1800 – 1831

Mother: Betsey Hopkins Wentworth 1804 – 1870

1st​ Wife: Ann Rebecca Dow Unknown – 1862

(Buried: Pine Grove Cemetery, Lynn, Massachusetts)​

2nd​ Wife: Elizabeth Pierce Nichols 1842 – 1890

(Buried: Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts)​

Children:

Bessie Hicks 1865 – 1885​

(Buried: Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts)​

Occupation before War:

Printer of Whig and Courier Newspaper in Bangor, Maine​

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Printing and Publishing Businessman in Boston, Massachusetts​

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1855: Massachusetts State Representative​

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1855: Member of the Boston, Massachusetts City Council​

Civil War Career:

1861: 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, 2nd​ Cavalry Regiment​

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1861 – 1862: Colonel of 19th​ Massachusetts Infantry Regiment​

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1861: Served in the Battle of Ball's Bluff, Virginia​

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1862: Served in the Virginia Peninsula Campaign​

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1862: Wounded in the right thigh during the Battle of Glendale​

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1862: Wounded twice during the Battle of Antietam​

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1863 – 1865: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers​

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1863 – 1864: Served on Court Martial and Recruiting Duty​

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1864: Commander Camp Lookout Maryland Prison Camp​

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1864: Served in the First Battle of Petersburg, Virginia​

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1864: Served in the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia​

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1864 – 1865: Recruiter and Enforcing the draft in the North​

Occupation after War:

1866 – 1870: Lt. Colonel, United States Army, 4th​ Infantry Regiment​

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1868: Received Brevet Brigadier General for his service at Petersburg​

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1870 – 1873: Governor of National Military Home at Hampton, Virginia​

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1873 – 1880: Governor of National Military at Milwaukee, Wisconsin​

Died: February 14, 1894

Place of Death: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cause of Death: Cirrhosis of the liver

Age at time of Death: 63 years old

Burial Place: Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday Brig. General Edward Winslow Hincks.

 

[JeffFromSyracuse]

Wonder if the cirrhosis was caused by 25 years of trying to combat the pain of his wounds.

 

[Pollaco]

Said to be the first commander of a division sized unit of black troops in a major action (Petersburg).

 

[Pollaco]

It was upon entering the army at the beginning if the Civil War He dropped the "C" from his name. It had been Hincks, thereafter it was Hinks.

 

[Pollaco]

The newspaper clipping states he was wounded a third time on July, 1864. Any details? Another source states was "thereafter he was employed in the care of disabled volunteers." I assume this was his stints as Governor of the National Military Homes in Virginia and Wisconsin?

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy (Monday) Birthday Brig. General Edward W. Hincks! Salutes remembering General Hincks on his birthday week.

 

[Pollaco]

Said to be a friend or Ally of Benjamin Butler.

 

[Pollaco]

Said to be a friend or Ally of Benjamin Butler.

 

[Pollaco]

The 19th Massachusetts was a 3 year regiment. Hincks took over command of this unit after his 8th Massachusetts Militia's 90 day enlistment expired.

 

[Pollaco]

He was only commander of Point Lookout from March through April of 1864.

 

[ErnieMac]

The newspaper clipping states he was wounded a third time on July, 1864. Any details? Another source states was "thereafter he was employed in the care of disabled volunteers." I assume this was his stints as Governor of the National Military Homes in Virginia and Wisconsin?

Skimming through the Official Records it seems that Hincks was injured by accident during the opening phase of the 2nd Battle of Petersburg (June 15, 1864). The result of the accident was the aggravation of his previous wounds. After a few weeks with no sign of improvement Hincks was assigned by order of General Grant to command at the Camp Lookout POW camp. The camp had been under control of Benjamin Butler's department and was believed to be under threat by Jubal Early's Confederates during his Maryland incursion.

Unknown to Grant when the order to Hincks was issued was that the district including Point Lookout had been reassigned to the Middle Department and BG James Barnes had been named to its command. When Hincks unexpectedly arrived at Point Lookout Barnes sent a message to DC basically asking 'what's up with this'. Edwin Stanton replied by ordering Hincks to DC for reassignment.